In tools for metal cutting having indexable cutting inserts of hard and wear resistant material, the cutting edges are subjected to wear, and sometimes some part of or the entire cutting edge collapses. If a small insert fractures, only the cutting edge collapses without any risk for damage to the tool body. If a large insert fractures, however, the risk of damage to the tool body increases to an essential degree. If the cutting insert is not seated on a shim, then a fracture of the insert often gives rise to damage of the tool body. To avoid such damage, it is usual to rest the cutting insert on a shim of cemented carbide. A usual combination is a cutting insert having a thickness of about 5 mm and a shim having a thickness of 3-5 mm. This results in a total thickness of the cutting insert and the shim of 8-10 mm.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,158 there is depicted a four-sided cutting insert having an integrated shim so as to provide a fracture zone. The cutting insert comprises an upper rake face, a lower face, and an edge clearance face interconnecting said upper and lower faces. The edge clearance face includes a step located intermediate the upper and lower faces. When the insert is in use, the step defines a zone with a strain peak such that in the event of insert breakage, the propagation of the crack will be guided to the area of the step. The portion of the insert located below the step remains intact and thus protects the tool body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,500 shows a milling cutter having octagonal or hexagonal cutting inserts. Each cutting insert has a segmented (non-linear) major cutting edge, an end cutting edge and a radially inner cutting edge. The radially inner cutting edge is supposed to cut during coring of the work piece. The known insert lacks fracture zones so as to prevent an insert breakage from transferring into the seat or shim. During use of such a known insert, it has happened that the insert has been thrown radially outwardly due to excessive centrifugal forces, thereby creating hazards for the environment.